20 Mar 2017

Assistant Minister of Local Government and Rural Development, Ms Botlogile Tshireletso has urged Batswana to openly discuss issues pertaining to Gender Based Violence (GBV).

Speaking at GBV workshop organised by THC Foundation recently, Ms Tshireletso said GBV did exist in Botswana and people should be able to discuss such issues despite their sensitivity.

“These issues need people who are free in mind, people who are not shy to talk about them because they depict acts of cruelty,” she said.

She added that most women were economically challenged, depending entirely on their partners thereby making them vulnerable to GBV.

Ms Tshireletso further said GBV policy which was adopted in 2008 did not include marital rape.

She noted that the existence of the policy had not been helpful as people were raped in marriages as women did not have rights to say no to sexual advances by  their spouse.

“In terms of health particularly regarding HIV/AIDS, there is still need for deliberate processes in more difficult areas such as rape within marriages,” she said.

She encouraged communities to stop such cultural influences because result of these cultural practices lagged behind progressive policy and legislative reforms.

Ms Tshireletso said GBV did not only affect parents but also hit hard on children. “Those children are still leaving under our shadows, they are not responsible for their day to day life,” she added.

She said whenever such cases were reported, the victims and their families were given support such as counselling by social workers.

For his part, founder and chairperson of THC Foundation, Retired Lt Gen. Tebogo Masire said his foundation together with other involved stakeholders should put effort to ensure that women and children live in violence free environment with equal opportunities.

He also said research conducted among young women in Sub-Saharian Africa found that partner violence and fear of abuse stop girls from saying no to sex without condom thus exposing them to teenage pregnancy and various diseases.

An official from the Ministry of Nationality, Immigration and Gender Affairs, Mr Kabelo Tsiang said they had the GBV Referral Tool which was on pilot study where a client would be referred for medication, counseling and social services for further evaluation.

Still on the same issue, Mr Issac Tokonyane a substance abuse counselor at BoSasNet said GBV did not only affect women but affected men as well. ENDS